[Prevalence of fecal incontinence in health centers and nursing home residents].
BACKGROUND
Fecal and urinary incontinence (FI and UI) are psychologically and socially debilitating and embarrassing conditions.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of FI and associated factors in patients assessed in health centers (HC) and nursing home (NH) residents.


METHODS
Prospective, multicentric survey carried out in 3 HC and 16 NH of Santiago. Patients and residents of NH were interrogated about FI between March and July 2004.


RESULTS
The questionnaire was answered by 618 patients attending health centers aged 18 to 87 years (75% females) and 128 nursing home residents aged 40 to 103 years (80% females). The prevalence of liquid or solid FI in HC and NH was 2.7 and 45%, respectively. Among the latter, the incontinence for liquids and solids was 19% and 42%, respectively. The prevalence of UI was 30.1 and 62.7% in HC patients and NH residents, respectively. Among patients attending HC, multivariable analysis showed a relation between older age and urinary incontinence with liquid or solid FI. Among NH residents, multivariate analysis showed a relation between urinary incontinence and motor disabilities with liquid or solid FI.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of liquid or solid FI among patients assessed in health center is 2.7%. This figure increases in older people, those with UI and in NH residents.
Zárate
Alejandro J
AJ
Programa de Formación como especialista en Cirugía General, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
López-Köstner
Francisco
F
Vergara
Flavia
F
Badilla
Nathalia
N
Viviani
Paola
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult